Personal hygiene article with vibrating part and method

ABSTRACT

A personal hygiene article, such as a toothbrush, includes a handle configured to accommodate an electric power source, a head carrying a treatment tool, and a neck between the handle and the head. The head or neck includes a mechanical motorized vibratory device, including a drive that causes the head to vibrate. Electrical connections are operably connected to the mechanical vibratory device and the electric power source to power the mechanical vibratory device via the electrical connections. In various embodiments, a vibration-damping structure dampens vibration transmission from the head to the handle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 10/913,485filed Aug. 9, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,003,839, which is a Divisionalof application Ser. No. 10/093,699 filed Mar. 11, 2002, now U.S. Pat.No. 6,802,097, which is a Continuation of PCT/CH00/00563 filed Oct. 18,2000, which claims priority from German Patent Application No. 199 50204.8 filed Oct. 19, 1999 and German Patent Application No. 299 19 053.6filed Nov. 3, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to a personal hygiene article that includes anelectrically powered vibrating head.

2. Description of Related Art

For teeth-cleaning purposes nowadays use is made either of conventionalmanual toothbrushes or of electric toothbrushes, in the case of which amovable brush head can be motor-driven from the handle. Electrictoothbrushes usually achieve a more intensive cleaning action than themanual toothbrushes, but they have the disadvantage that they arerelatively bulky and expensive and may damage the gums and subject thetooth enamel to pronounced abrasion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a cost-effectivevibrating toothbrush which corresponds, in size, approximately to theconventional manual toothbrushes and nevertheless allows a bettercleaning action than the latter.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a toothbrushincluding a vibrating head part, a mechanical vibratory device in atleast one of the head and a neck, and a power supply, preferably in thehandle.

Since a mechanical vibratory device which causes the head part tovibrate is accommodated in a front head part of the toothbrush, or in aneck-part region adjacent to the head part, the neck part connecting thehead part to the handle, and is operatively connected to a power source,preferably accommodated in the handle, via electrical connectionsrunning in the neck part, vibration-damping means preferably beingprovided in order to prevent vibration transmission to the handle, thisachieves the situation where the vibrations which effect the improvedcleaning action are produced predominantly in the head part and can onlybe felt to a slight extent in the handle, as a result of whichcomfortable handling of the toothbrush is achieved. A further advantageof the toothbrush according to the invention is that there is no needfor any mechanical drive means to be led through the flexible neck partto the vibratory device. It is merely the electrical connections,designed as wires, cables or electrically conductive plastic tracks,which run through the neck part.

Preferred developments of the toothbrush according to the invention formthe subject matter of the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to thedrawing, in which, purely schematically:

FIG. 1 shows a side view, partially in section, of a first exemplaryembodiment of a toothbrush according to the invention and of ahandle-closure part separated from one another (without a battery);

FIG. 2 shows a bottom view, partially in section, of a second exemplaryembodiment of a toothbrush according to the invention in the assembledstate;

FIG. 3 shows a side view, partially in section, of the toothbrushaccording to FIG. 2 and the closure part separated from one another(without a battery);

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a third exemplary embodiment of a toothbrushaccording to the invention in the assembled state;

FIG. 5A shows a front part of the toothbrush according to FIG. 4 withdifferent embodiments of exchangeable interdental treatment heads; and

FIGS. 5B-D show different embodiments of exchangeable interdentaltreatment heads.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Both the toothbrush illustrated in FIG. 1 and that according to FIGS. 2and 3 each have a handle 1, a front bristle-carrying head part 3 and aneck part 4, which connects the head part 3 to the handle 1. Thebristles combined to form clusters of bristles 6 are anchored in abristle carrier 5 and form a possibly profiled brushing surface withtheir free ends. In the embodiment illustrated, the bristle carrier 5with the clusters of bristles 6 is positioned, in a manner which isknown per se and thus is not described in any more detail, on aretaining part 2 of the head part 3 such that it can be exchanged.

The neck part 4 is provided with neck-part zones 7 which are made of anelastically relatively compliant material component and provide for, oradditionally increase, the elasticity of the neck part 4, with theresult that, during use of the interdental treatment device, the headpart 3 can be forced back resiliently in the case of forces acting inthe direction of the brushing surface. If appropriate, the neck-partzones 7 are designed as notches which extend over part of the neckcircumference and are filled with elastically compliant material (e.g.with thermoplastic elastomer). Of course, it would also be quiteconceivable for the form and number of neck-part zones to be different.It is also conceivable to have a flexible neck zone without usingelastic material components, e.g. by providing constrictions or by wayof a bellows.

Integrated in the front head part 3, or in that region of the neck part4 which is adjacent to the head part 3, is a mechanical vibratory device10, by means of which vibrations which effect or enhance theteeth-cleaning action may be imparted to the head part 3. The vibratorydevice 10 can be connected to an electric power source, accommodated inthe handle 1, via electrical connections running in the neck part 4, asis described herein below. The already mentioned neck-part zones 7 madeof an elastically compliant material act here as means which damp thevibration between the vibrating head part 3 and the handle 1, with theresult that the vibratory action is produced, in particular, in the headpart and is only transmitted to the handle 1 to a slight extent. Thismeans that only slight vibrations can be felt in the handle 1 during theteeth-cleaning operation, and the toothbrush is thus comfortable tohandle. Conversely, however, it is also advantageous that the vibrationproduced is not damped by the handle 1 and can act to full effect in thehead part 3. Instead of the neck-part zones 7 consisting of elasticallycompliant material, however, other vibration-damping means would also beconceivable; it is not absolutely necessary to use an elastic material.The damping may also be achieved, using a basic material, by the neckpart being configured in a particular form, for example by the presenceof a bellows/accordion part, etc.

Accommodated in the handle 1 is a sheath or sleeve 20 which extends inthe longitudinal direction of said handle and is made of electricallyconductive material. Both the handle 1 and the sleeve 20 are open to therear, this forming a cavity 21 which can be closed from the rear by aclosure part 22 and into which it is possible to insert a battery 25, inthe exemplary embodiment illustrated a commercially available,non-rechargeable cylindrical battery, with a defined power (e.g. 1.5 V)as the power source for the vibratory device 10. It would also bepossible, however, for a button cell or for a rechargeable storagebattery to be used as the power source.

A spring contact 29 for the positive pole 30 of the battery 25 (see FIG.2) is fitted in the sleeve 20, on a transverse wall 28, and is connectedto the vibratory device 10 via an electric line 31, a switch 32, whichis installed in the sleeve 20 and can be actuated from the outside ofthe handle 1, and an electric line 33 running in the neck part 4. Theelectrical connection can be interrupted by means of the switch 32.

The closure part 22 is provided with a threaded stub 22 a made of anelectrically conductive material and can be screwed into the handle 1and/or into the sleeve 20 by way of said threaded stub. The threadedstub 22 a is provided with a contact surface 22 b which, with theclosure part 22 screwed in, comes into abutment against the negativepole 35 of the battery 25 inserted into the sleeve 20. The negative pole35 is electrically connected to the vibratory device 10 via the threadedstub 22 a, the sleeve 20 itself and a line 34, which connects the sleeve20 to the vibratory device 10 and runs in the neck part 4.

Instead of being transmitted via the electrically conductive sleeve 20,it would also be possible for the power from the negative pole 35 to betransmitted in some other way, for example using wires or anelectrically conductive plastic.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the vibratory device10 comprises a vibratory element 11′ which functions preferably in themanner of a vibratory armature, can be electrically connected directlyto the power source via the lines 33, 34 and, with the power sourceconnected, is made to vibrate.

In the case of the toothbrush variants illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, thevibratory device 10 comprises a vibratory element 11 in the form of aneccentric, which produces mechanical vibrations and can be rotated aboutan axis located in the longitudinal direction of the toothbrush, andalso comprises a drive which is arranged directly adjacent and isdesigned as a micromotor 15. The vibratory element 11 is connected tothe shaft 15 a of the micromotor 15, which can be electrically connectedto the power source via the lines 33, 34. The micromotor 15 and theeccentric may be accommodated as a structural unit in a housing 12. Asubassembly comprising the housing 12 accommodating the micromotor 15and eccentric (serving as a device consuming electrical energy) may beinserted into the molded part of the article.

Instead of an eccentric which can be driven in rotation, it would alsobe possible to have a vibratory element 11 which can be driven in atranslatory manner.

It would be possible, in the case of the toothbrush according to theinvention, to arrange the bristle-carrying head part 3 such that it canbe moved in relation to the neck part 4 in order for the latter, in thecase of vibrations produced by means of the vibratory device 10, to bemade to move in relation to the rest of the toothbrush.

The electric lines 31, 33, 34 could also be realized byelectricity-conducting plastic tracks.

The switch 32, which connects or interrupts the lines 31, 33, may alsobe, for example, a magnetic switch.

The preferred configuration of the switch 32, however, contains a pulseswitch arranged on a printed circuit board as well as further electroniccomponents which store the switching state.

It is also possible, however, for the electrical connection between thebattery 25 and the vibratory element 11′ (FIG. 1) or the drive 15 (FIGS.2 and 3) to be produced or interrupted not by the switch 32, but by theclosure part 22, which can be screwed into the handle 1 and/or into thesleeve 20 or connected to the same in a bayonet-like manner, beingturned (i.e. the switch 32 is dispensed with in the case of such aconfiguration).

Instead of the rear closure part 22 being screwed to the handle 1, itwould, of course, also be possible to have some other type of releasableconnection (e.g. plug-in connection, bayonet connection, etc.) and acorresponding configuration of the contact part interacting with thenegative pole 35.

It would also be possible for the closure part 22 to be in a form whichis quite different to that illustrated in the drawing. For example, theclosure part could be provided with a set-down surface or a foot partand thus serve as an element on which the toothbrush can be set down.

The toothbrush illustrated in FIG. 4 corresponds essentially to thataccording to FIGS. 2 and 3; the same parts, once again, have the samedesignations. According to FIG. 4, the vibratory device 10 is arrangeddirectly in the front head part 3. In this exemplary embodiment, thesleeve 20 is dispensed with; the battery 25 is connected directly to thevibratory device 10 via the lines 33, 34. It is also the case with thisdevice that use is preferably made of an exchangeable carrier 5 whichcan be positioned on a retaining part 2 of the head part 3, e.g. in themanner of a snap-in connection. The capacity for changing the bristlecarrier 5 provided with the clusters of bristles 6 is particularlyadvantageous since the interdental treatment device provided with thevibratory device 10 can be used irrespective of the service life of thebristles, which is usually even shorter than the service life of thebattery 25.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, it is possible, instead of the bristlecarrier 5 or 5 a, which forms part of a conventional brush head and isprovided with respective clusters of bristles 6 or 6 a, to positionother, optionally different carriers or adapters 5 b to 5 d on theretaining part 2, these being provided with different interdentalbrushes 6 b, 6 c or interdental treatment parts 6 d for effectivecleaning of the spaces between the teeth. The interdental brush 6 b maybe designed, for example, as a helical brush made of coated wire withplastic filaments twisted in. The interdental brush 6 c comprisesbristles which, together, form a cluster tip. The treatment part 6 d maybe designed, for example, as a plastic element which has a tip and maypreferably be provided with an abrasive coating for removing plaque andtartar from the spaces between the teeth. Of course, it would also bepossible to use any other desired treatment heads.

It is also the case with the variant according to FIGS. 4 and 5 that thebristle carrier 5 could be configured such that a vibration-inducedmovement in relation to the retaining part 2 were possible.

For the introduction of the vibratory device 10, the connecting lines33, 34 and further electronic components, it is possible for thetoothbrush according to the invention, or the housing thereof, to beproduced in two parts and for the two parts to be welded in awater-tight manner once the abovementioned parts have been positionedtherein.

It is also possible, however, for the toothbrush according to theinvention to be produced by injection molding preferably involving twoor more components. The abovementioned parts are advantageouslypositioned as a unit in an injection molding made of a first materialcomponent and then encapsulated in the second material component (or inthe further material component) by injection molding. It is notnecessary here for full encapsulation to take place. Certain parts maybe exposed, as a result of which it is possible to achieve an estheticeffect.

It would also be possible, however, for the abovementioned electroniccomponents to be inserted into a ready molded handle 1.

Since it is not only the vibratory element 11, 11′ itself but also thedrive, i.e. the micromotor 15, which are arranged in the front head part3, or in the directly adjacent front region of the neck part 4, it isnot necessary for any mechanical drive means to be led through theflexible neck part 4 in order to connect the micromotor to the vibratoryelement 11. It is only the electric lines 33, 34 (wires, cables orelectrically conductive plastic tracks) which run through the neck part4.

According to the invention, use is made of a mechanical vibratory device10 which has a diameter of less than 15 mm, preferably less than 6 mm,and is less than 35 mm, preferably less than 20 mm, in length. Thisensures that the toothbrush may be of ergonomic configuration and iseasy to handle. The toothbrush according to the invention maycorrespond, in size, more or less to the conventional manualtoothbrushes, which makes them more straightforward to handle incomparison with the commercially available, considerably larger electrictoothbrushes, even though this toothbrush achieves a cleaning actionwhich is comparable with that of the known electric toothbrushes, but isgentler than the latter. Moreover, the toothbrush according to theinvention is straightforward and cost-effective to produce.

It is nevertheless also possible for the vibratory device according tothe invention to be integrated in conventional electric toothbrushes.

1. A method for producing a personal hygiene article, which includes adevice consuming electrical energy, an electric energy source andelectric lines, comprising: inserting electric components including thedevice consuming electrical energy and the electric lines into a moldedpart, which has been made from a first material component by injectionmolding; and subsequently at least partially encapsulating the electriccomponents inserted into the molded part in at least one furthermaterial component by injection-molding.
 2. The method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the electric components have the at least one furthermaterial component injection-molded around them only partly, leavingpart of the electric components exposed.
 3. The method as claimed inclaim 1 for producing a personal hygiene article having a handle and ahead part, wherein the energy source is accommodated in the handle andthe device consuming electrical energy is accommodated in the head partor in a region adjacent to the head part, and wherein the deviceconsuming electrical energy is connected to the energy source via theelectric lines.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein theelectric lines are guided through a flexible zone in the article.
 5. Themethod as claimed in claim 4, wherein the flexible zone is formed atleast from the first material component and the at least one furthermaterial component, the latter being an elastically compliant materialwhich preferably has a vibration-damping effect.
 6. The method asclaimed in claim 5 for producing a personal hygiene article including ahandle and a head part that is set in vibration by a vibration device,wherein the flexible zone is arranged between the handle and thevibration device.
 7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein theelectric lines are guided through a region that tapers in relation tothe handle.
 8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electriclines are guided through a flexible zone in the article.
 9. The methodas claimed in claim 8, wherein the flexible zone is formed at least fromthe first material component and the at least one further materialcomponent, the latter being an elastically compliant material, whichpreferably has a vibration-damping effect.
 10. The method as claimed inclaim 9 for producing a personal hygiene article including a handle anda head part that is set in vibration by a vibration device, wherein theflexible zone is arranged between the handle and the vibration device.11. The method as claimed in claim 1 for producing a personal hygienearticle in which the device consuming electrical energy is anelectrically driven, mechanical vibration device.
 12. The method asclaimed in claim 11 for producing a personal hygiene article including ahandle and a head part that is set in vibration by the vibration device.13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the vibration deviceincludes a vibration element that is driven by a drive that can beconnected electrically to the energy source via the electric lines. 14.The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric lines and thedevice consuming electrical energy form a unit that is inserted into themolded part made from the first material component and subsequently isat least partly surrounded by the at least one further materialcomponent by injection-molding.
 15. The method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the device consuming electrical energy is accommodated in ahousing and a subassembly comprising the device consuming electricalenergy and the housing is inserted into the molded part made from thefirst material component and subsequently is at least partly surroundedby the at least one further material component by injection-molding. 16.A method for producing a personal hygiene article, which includes adevice consuming electrical energy, an electric energy source andelectric lines, wherein the device consuming electrical energy isaccommodated in a housing, comprising: inserting the device consumingelectrical energy and the housing into a molded part, which has beenmade from a first material component by injection molding; andsubsequently at least partly encapsulating the device consumingelectrical component and the housing in at least one further materialcomponent by injection-molding.
 17. The method as claimed in claim 16for producing a personal hygiene article in which the device consumingelectrical energy is an electrically driven, mechanical vibrationdevice.
 18. A method for producing a personal hygiene article having ahandle, an electrically driven vibration device, an electric energysource and electric lines, the method comprising: producing the handlewith a cavity open toward one side; producing a sleeve open toward oneside made of an electrically conductive material; inserting the electricenergy source and the sleeve into the cavity open toward one side of thehandle; and closing the cavity in the handle by means of a closure partvia which the energy source can be connected electrically to the sleeve.19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the handle is produced byinjection molding.
 20. The method as claimed in claim 18, whereinvibration-damping zones made of an elastically compliant material on thearticle.
 21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein thevibration-damping zones made of an elastically compliant material areformed in a neck part adjacent to the handle.
 22. The method as claimedin claim 20, wherein the vibration-damping zones made of an elasticallycompliant material are formed between the handle and the vibrationdevice.
 23. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the closure partis connected to the handle or the sleeve by means of a bayonet closure.24. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the vibration device isconnected to the energy source by turning the closure part.